70-year-old Iryna Boychenko is an “internally displaced person” now living in Ukraine-controlled town of Slavyansk. For all 70 years of her life, Irina felt lonely.
When Iryna was still a baby, her mother met a man in Moscow who she fell in love will and left Iryna in Donetsk with her grandmother. When Iryna was 8, her Mum came back – just for one day – to leave again, this time forever. Now, 62 years later, Iryna is still waiting to hear at least a word from her missing mother. 70 years of life passed just like one day.

Today Iryna lives with her daughter – none of them are married. Iryna’s daughter Svitlana is almost 40. She is studying in Slavyansk Technical School to become pharmacist – this would be her 4th major now. She and her mother believe that good education will help them survive. They both believe that there will come a day when the war in their native town of Donetsk (now occupied by pro-russian forces) will end and they will be able to return home.  

Meanwhile, the team of CBN-Emmauel is helping this family to survive by bringing them a food bad. It is obvious, that Iryna’s difficult life has hardened her heart. Most of our beneficiaries are very friendly – they all want to invite us to their home and offer some tea. Unlike them, Iryna has met us downstairs at the entrance to her apartment building. She does not trust people, even those who come to her with good intentions.

“Thank you for this, Iryna said reluctantly, – I can’t believe that someone remembers about us”. These are the words caused by the wounds of her past. We gave Iryna a prayer book and shared that she shouldn’t consider herself an orphan for there is God who cares and who is able to heal the wounds of her past.

We are grateful to our Partners who donate their finances to help people in need.  Thanks to your donations, we can tell people about God.

Anna Chaban, CBN-Emmanuel